Regenerative coke oven and the like



March s, 193s.

J. VAN ACKERYEN REGENERATIVE COKE OVEN AND THE LIKE vFiled June 12, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Josep/a van konn.

M7/9W cada 110 ATTORNEY.

March 8, 1938.

` lJ. VAN AcKERl-:N REGENERATIVE- COKE OVEN AND THE LIKE Filed June 12, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 B @Ew w IN VENTOR.

n. m, .m w P c m mw W March 8, 1938. J. VAN ACKEREN 2,110,373

REGENERATIVE COKE OVEN AND THE LIKE l Filed June 12, 1955 e sheets-sheet 5 /l/ lll/1 &4, ATTORNEY.

March 8, 1938. J. VAN AcKEREN REGEERATIVE COKE OVEN AND THE LIKE e sheetssheet 4 Filed June 12, 1935 v INVENTOR. Josep/v ma Hch/un.

BY v

, z ATTORNEY.

March 8, 1938. J. VAN AckEREN REGENERATIVE COKE OVEN AND THE LIKE Filed June l2, 1935 6 Sheets-Sheet 5A r: (i n dmuDDOdl INVENTOR. Josep/7 van ,4MB/'en Patented Mar. 8,1938 y UNITED STATES( PATENT OFFICE 2,110,373 REGENERATIVE OVEN AND THE LIKE Joseph van Ackeren, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner, by

mesneassignments, to Koppers Company, corporation of Delaware Application June 12, 1935, serial No. 26,169'

12 claims.

ative'heating arrangements such as are incorporated in coking rctorts, by-product coke ovens and the like; and pertains especially to modifications in the design and functioning of sole-channels, their arrangement and method of operation,

which effect automatically a uniform distribution and length of travel for all gases entering such channels before and when they are delivered to the name nues and thence discharged into the Waste-heat tunnel. i

In regenerative coking ovens which comprise horizontally elongated chambers vthat are separated each from the other by their heating walls, Within which are-arranged a plurality of vertical heating iiues disposed from one end of the oven to the other, and in which the heating gases are burned, or along which the products of com- Ibustion are carried away toward the stack, the air participatingin the combustion or, in the case where the ovens are of the combination type and the heating medium is produced extraneously and is of low heat content, both the air and the heating gases are separately preheated by passing them over hot checker-bricks before they are introducedv into the flame or combustion ues. These checker-bricks are brought to the desired temperature, before the air and the gas are passed over them, by the passing of the hot products of a combustion process which has previously taken place at another point in the ovens heating system.

principles of gaseous flow and combustion around which the -oven is constructed and operated. The.regenerator space beneath an ovenmay be divided longitudinally or transversely or both. into two or more sections, and each vsection may function in a different capacity at any particular vstage of operation according to design, i

Uniform distribution of the gases through the regenerators is"-one of the prime requisites for their efcient utilization. Regardless, however, of the principles used in their deowing sign and method ofoperation, they all depend upon a sole-ue or bus-channel of some type to uniformly apportion and assemble the gases passing through them to or from all parts of the checker-brick work. For this purpose, "after their introduction through the battery walls by means of suitable valves or ports the gases to be they discharge through a series of laterally disposed canals or ducts into the checker-brick of the regenerator lying either below or above. The -volume of gas that passes from a particular duct depends upon its relative size and the staticpressure in the carried gas. The gaseous distribution thus effected will so continue in the heat- `ing system through the region beyond the soleiiues, if throughout that region only uniform pressures are encountered during the transit. If, however, in the system inequalities of resistance are met during such transit, the uniform distribution will be disturbed and means must be taken either to redistribute the gases or to eliminate conditions creating the inequalities in resistance.

the gas to be used for vcombustion is passed into a sole-flue channel through a port or suitably designed box. After distribution through lateral orifices along the sole-flue channel. these gases pass over previously heated checker-brick where they are preheated before introduction into the series of vertical combustion ues situated between the oven walls. The air and gas for heatign are mixed at the base of the ues where combustion` gradually takes place 'during [their ascent and a'portion of their heatis transferred through the heating walls to the coal beyond. From the combustion nues, the still extremely hot wastegases vpass into a similar series of flues in the opposite or same wall of the oven, continually losing some of their remaining heat content; fol- A'lowing which, they then ow into a .second regenerator, which having been traversed, they flow together in a soie-flue channel after passing- In the regenerative heating ofv an oven, the vfollowing cycle is quite typical. The air or distributed travel along the sole-fines, whence lthrough ducts laterally disposed along the axis they enter the sole-dues whence they pass to a 2 common waste-heat tunnel, the stack and eventually to the atmosphere. At the predetermined intervals the ilow of gases in a regenerative heating -system is reversed and the A,second regenerator in the former 'partial cycle, during which interval ithas been reheated to proper temperature, now becomes the flrst regenerator in the reversed' cycle of flow, the former waste-heat ilues become the combustion flues and the regenerator which previously was preheating air or gas is now recovering the heat remaining in the l.:z'imbustion gases which has passed between the ovensheating walls unabsorbed.

From this brief ,description of a regenerative heating. cycle, it is readily apparent that thesoleilue orifices of a regenerative system at one in-.

terval in lthe'cycle are functioning to distribute heating gases uniformlythroughout the checkerbrick space, and during the second interval are servingto collect or assemble uniformly into the sole-flue, the combustion gases flowing into it from all parts of a regenerator.

.In those instances therefore where, during, a complete regenerative cycle the direction of the flow of thegases is completely reversed in the sole-flue as isthe case where in consequence of the taper of the ovens it is `desirable to isolate the complete heating system of the pusher side of the oven i'ronithel coke side because of the differences in quantity of coal to be coked during the saine -,time interval, or where the heating gases of an oven wall 'are reversed on either side of a reversal plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the oven, the same sole-nue at one interval of the heating cycle is being used' to effect uniform distribution of gases to a regenerative space anduat a later interval to eifectuniform withdrawing of gases from that same space and tendency' to traverse different zones inthe re-l generators from those through which the comv bustion'gasea passed during the period vwhen the regenerators were being reheated.4

This phenomenon results from Bernouillis theoremwhich demonstrates that the total pressure found in any channel through which a fluid is flowing comprises a.4 velocity pressure and a static pressln-e.- At any point in such channel, the sum total of these two pressures is equal (neglecting friction), so that, obviously wherever the velocity and its resultant pressure is the highest the static pressure is the lowest and vice versa. -Since the static pressure is the only forcewhich causes the iiuidto ilow from any orifice or duct opening from that channel perpendicular to the direction of flow, it becomes evident that if 'the velocity of the gas in the channel is not uniform, the static pressure will vary accordingly' and consequently, also the volume of gas discharged'from adjacent orifices if they are-of unidimensional proportions.

'Ihe gases entering a sole-nue for distribution have their greatest velocity head-at some point `neartheinletport andastheydischaxgethrough spectivelybythedistributionofgasestotheheat- 1g andere sealed end, if the gases are ilowingj into a region of constant pressure.

During the period of reverse fiow, when gases are passing from the regenerator into the soleue to be discharged` into the waste-heat canal, the velocity of the gases increases in the soleflue from a point near the closed end to the outlet port. The static pressure at the orifices leading into the sole-flue consequently decreases progressively in the same direction, offering progressively less resistance to the inflow of gases from the regenerator as the waste-gas outlet port is approached.- The result of this phenomenon is to cause a channeling across the regenerator space in thel direction of these sole-flue ducts nearest the waste-heat port and create the tendency forthe gases leaving the regenerator to assume a-diierent path from that taken by the gases introduced into the regenerator during the reversed period of flow as aforementioned.

Calibration of the sole-flue ducts in such manner as to accommodate increasing static pressure when gas is flowlng into the sole-flue from the gas or air supply lines and permituniform volumes of gas to flow into the various parts of the regenerator therefrom, will, during ow in the reverse direction throughv the sole nue in the next regenerative reversal period, only further increase the tendency oi the gases to flow into those ducts nearest the waste-heat outlet port.

In my present invention, I therefore provide means whereby the aforementioned vundesirable distribution effects may be simply and eifectively circumvenbed while simultaneously effecting a simplification in thermal control of coking re-.

torts, ovens nd other regenerative heating systems, as well as a reduction in number of the more complex control accessories used to regulate the iiow of fuel gases in such a system. A uniform distribution f air or gas, absorption of heat and now of the products of combustion will be accomplished automatically. The invention has for further objects such other improvements and such other operative advantages or results as may be found to obtain in the processes or apparatus hereinafter 'described or claimed.

'Brieily stated, my invention provides that during the regenerative heating cycle of an oven, the movement of gases infall regenerator sole-nues have thesame direction of flow and that this gaseous stream effected by its reduction in volume 65 as itilows from the inlet port of the regenerator I sole-nues toward then closed end and also upon the decreasing static pressure which takes place in the regenerator sole-dues effected by the increasing volume of the gas stream asit flows from the closed end of the sole-flue toward the discharge port; the decrease and increase in volumes of thel gas4 stream being effected re- I the other by the supporting pillar walls of the ing iiues from the solef-ilucs Vor their coniiuence in the same after combustion.

'Ihe generaladvantages of my invention will l be more easily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and. showing for the purposes of exemplication an apparatus in which the invention may be embodied and practised but without limiting-the claimed invention specifically to such illustrative instance or instances.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through a coke oven. 'Ihe sections shown are taken on the lines A-A and B-B- respectively of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through a coke oven battery and is taken on lines II---lIIEY of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the sole-flues of a coke oven battery,'the same being taken through the lines III-III of Figure 1 and showing somewhat diagrammatically the graduation of the orifices along the sole-fines. Y FiguresV 4, 5, 6 are views of' waste-heat, gas and air, and air valves respectively as employed in practising the present invention.

Figure 7 is an elevational end view of the vari- 4 ous types of valves shown in Figures-4, and 6 in operating position and illustrates their arrangement sequence as used in practising the present invention; and

Figure 8 is a view as in Figure 3 butwith anA alternative system of sole-channel orices.

In the drawings the same characters of reference designate the same parts in all of the views ofthe drawings.

Referring now to the drawings,` Figures 1 and 2,v

show for the purposes of exemplification an oven of the well known cross-over type of Joseph Becker U. S. Patents No. 1,374,546 andA No. 1,904,191 and more particularly an improvementv in that type exemplified in -a Josepl'rBeckerv copending application Serial No. 2,564, wherein my invention may be embodied and practised and which for purposes of the following exposition' will be treated as a combination oven, the heat for the underfiring of which is derived from the combustion of a gas of low heating value extraneously produced, and requiring preheating prior to its introduction into the combustion zone.

In a coking retort battery comprising a series oi' horizontally elongated ovens of this type so disposed that their longitudinalaxes are'parallel, the individual ovens-are separated one from the other by a series of vertically disposed heating ues extending from one end of each oven to the l other, each series -serving to heat adjacent walls of contiguous ovens. The heating ilues are communicably connected at their lower ends with regenerator spaces lying beneath and at their upper ends with cross-over ilues which pass over the top ofthe oven and connect with the vertical heating fiues of the ovens opposite wall at their upper ends. Each cross-overdue may serve anypreferred number of vertical ilues and for this purpose the fluesin any wall are arranged in a series of sets which communicate by me'ans of the cross-overs with a set of similar number in the opposite Wall'of the oven.

The vertical heating ues between the two adjacent walls of contiguous ovens communicate with two regenerators beneath each,' extending longitudinally parallel to the ovens walls and the coking chambers, and the regenerators are separated throughout their entire length, one from static pressure increase along the sole-liuc.

ovens. Each vertical flue is provided with a communicating opening to each of the underlying regenerators. 'For operating purposes the regenerators are disposedI in groups of four, two regenerators Vof each group being int'ercommunicably connected with the other two through the heating flues, the cross-overs and the ducts at the lower end of the vertical ues.

In the base of each regenerator lies a.. regenerator sole-liuc which, through ducts laterally disposed along its lengthwise dimension, communicates with the regenerator checker-brick, and at one end with the atmosphere or source of heating medium supply and at the other with the wasteheat tunnel. The sole-hues are continuous of the entire length oi' the regenerator, which makes' possible the introduction of air and gas for combustion of an entire oven wall at one side of the battery only. v t

' The reversal plane in the regenerative heating cycle lies substantially parallel to the oven walls along a median line longitudinally bisectingv an Oven.

In the operation of my invention in a cokingA retort battery of the above-described typ'e, the vcoal to be subjected to the distillation process -is introduced into an oven I, through suitable openings 2 at the top of the oven. Gas and air to be burned in the iiues 3, which for the moment are the ilame flues, are simultaneously introducedA intothe air and gas regenerator'sole-iiue channels 4 and 5 respectively by opening the air valve 6 and the `gas valve I `at` one end of the oven. Just prior to the opening o f these valves,

' the valves 8 and 9 at the'opposing ends of the sole-,ues 4 vand 5 respectively and at the oppol site end of the oven, have been closed. Thesevalves are operated by the movement of a reversing mechanism (not shown), 'which motion is translated to them by cable I0. The air and gas enter sole-liuc channels 4 and 5 respectively at a preferred totalI pressure head, which, as these gases iiowalong said sole-fiues separated by the oven supporting pillar walls II, remains substantially the same` (save for friction), but the relation of the component pressures comprising the total pressure, changes. Such change results, as hereinbefore indicated, from `the constantly decreasing velocity of the air andugas in the soleilues as they flow from Athe valves 6 and 1 towardtheir opposing end at valves 8 and 9 (Figure 7)-,

in consequence of the outow of the gas and air through the ducts I2 in lthe soleflue rider-brick as they pass upward into the regenerator checkerbrick spaces I3 and I4.

The constant decrease in the velocity of the gases and the attendant decrease in velocity pressure requires a like increase in the static component of the total pressure, when substandimensioning the cross sectional area of the soleiiue ducts 'I2 that at the static pressure existing at any point inthe sole-flue, the volume of gas allowed to `flow through adjacent ducts is equal -in volume to that allowed 'to pass. through the valves l and 9) these ducts shall constantly decrease in cross sectional area as the'closed end is approached by gases owing from the open end.

The air or gas, uniformly distributed throughout the entire associated regenerator spaces I3 and I 4 by the graduated ducts of the sole-ues, is preheated and flows upward respectively through ducts 21 and 2l leading into the bottom of flame or combustion ilues 3, where they mix and gradually burn as they ascend to collect in the discontinuous horizontal ue I,'whence.by means of the cross-overl conduit I1, the products of the aforementioned combustion flow across the top ofthe oven and downward into the heating ues along the opposite ovenside. (as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2). Continuing in their downward ow, the waste gases pass through ducts 21' and 28 into the regenerators W. H.,

where a` major portion of their remaining heat content is absorbed by the checker-brick before they ow through the communicating ducts I2 into the sole-ilues beneath.

As the combustion products much reduced in temperature pass into the sole-ilues to be discharged into the atmosphere' after flowing through valves l' and 9 (Figure 7), the waste- 'heat ilue IB and the stack (not shown), their volume and velocity continually increase as they gather in the sole-flue and flow toward the discharge end. As aforedescribed, this increasing velocity brings about a decreasing static pressure in the sole-flue as the discharge 'end -is approached, and this decreasing static pressure,

'ottering less resistance to -the inflow of the waste products of combustion, gives rise to a tendency for these products to iiow in greater volume through those ducts below which the lowest static pressure exists. Uniform volume of'gas ow through these ducts is therefore, in my invention, obtained by so decreasing their cross sec- I tional area in the direction ,of ow of the gases distribution throughout all parts of the regenerators will be effected.

During the period of reverse flow in the regenerative heating cycle, when the iiues I instead of being the name fiues, carry away theproducts of combustion through the regenerators G and A (Figure 2) which-formerly introduced gas and .of the oven,'and alternately on either side of the ow reversal plane, while the products of combustion pass from the oven structure ai thel andava opposite .`end, alternately on either side of the same reversalplane, the' ineflow of the heating media. and out-flow of their waste combustion products taking place always on opposing sides of the iiow reversal plane during both periods of the heating cycle. In this manner, the direction of gaseous flow in the regenerator sole-fines will always be toward sole-nue ducts of decreasing cross sectional area and a setting once established therein willY be similarly eifective during both on and oiT' periods of the heating cycle.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 8. by means of which the gaseous flow through the heating system of a single oven may be more simply understood. Gas and air are respectively introduced inte the` sole-ilues l, 4 through valves at 1, i as shown, and iiowing along these channels are uniformly apportioned by the ducts I2 into their respective regenerators I4 and I3 along their entire length as theyV flow toward the closed valves at 9, I. As the gases rise through the regenerators Il and Il and enter the flame ilues 3 through communicating conduits 28, 21, they mix and burn, passing through the cross-over flues I1 into the heating iiues, the regenerators r and sole-tlues on the opposite side of the flow reversal plane, and leave the heating system at the open valves I' and 9 (W. H.) and pass into the waste-heat iiue I8. During the interval of reverse flow, valves at i, T, 8 and 9 are closed of air and gas into the system, and the valves at 8, 0 are opened to allow withdrawal of the waste gases. Reversal of flow of the gases in the heating ilues'and regenerators has been effected but the same direction of gaseous flow in the regen- .erator sole-hues has been maintained.-

f In the practice of my invention a uniform length of ilow for all gases entering the heating system of `an oven is assured. Gas and air entering the regenerators at point C, in Figures l Vand valves at 6' and 1' open for the introduction 'and 3, will be burnedin the heating ilues I dijrectly above and pass by means of the cross-'over conduit into the regenerator sole-iiues on the opposite side of the ow reversal plane at a point C" and continuethe full length of vsaid sole-lilies before being .discharged at l' and t', whereas gas or air which enters the regenerators at some suchgpoint as D will-have travers the full length of the sole-nues land- I befo e it enters the regenerators, is burned in the vflame nues directly above and passes into the regenerator sole-flues on the Oppite side'of the .reversalr plane at D' directly adjacent thevalves at l' and 0' where the combustion products pass into the waste-heat ue.

In the operation of 'my invention, I prefer to introduce the fuel gases into the sole-flue; of

adjacent ovens on opposing sides of the -battery (as shown in Figure 3) as an added assistance in obtaining uniformity of heat distribution and in limiting thesise of gas mains and waste-heat tunnels.

'With the invention of this system of eifectingl and maintaining uniform gaseous distribution'in the heating system of an oven. which makes pos'- sible introduction of the heating mediav to any oven at one side of the battery only, the requiref ducer or blast furnace gas are reduced to one-half those formerly needed, the remainder may be replaced by valves of simpler design. This results in a reduction in the capitalout-lay required for an installation.

vThe regenerators are so disposed as to :operate in groups of four, as shown'in Figure 2, and those regenerators which pre-heat gas for combustion along the walls of an oven lie in juxtaposition between air regenerators which thereby function to If it is preferred to underfire the battery or a portion thereof with rich gas such as is produced in the carbonization process itself, the conversion is simply effected by closing the communicating connection between the lean gas4 main I9, in

Figure 5, and its associated regenerator, at valve" 20, and removing lever arm 2| controlling valve 1 from actuating contact with the reversing cable I0. Since rich gas requires .larger amounts of air per unit -volume to effect complete combustion, air is now introduced into the regenerator, which formerly carried lean gas to the heating ues, and through the valve 22 of the combination gas and air box. Following this'adjustment, rich gas carried in the mains 23 extending along both sides of the battery is introduced by proper adjustment of the valves 24 into the gas conduits 25 situated in the head of the oven supporting pillar walls Ila. From the conduits 25, the rich gas passes upward through ducts 26 into the vertical flues where it is admixed and burned with air rising through the regenerators I3 and I4.

The graduation of the regenerator sole-ue ducts may be variously practised without departing from the intent of -my invention. Depending upon the nature of the apparatus or the design of the structure within which it isdesirable -to embody my improvement, the detailsof its application may vary. In certain instances of conditions and circumstances; the afore described changes in static pressure along the sole-flue may be of such magnitude as to give expediency to progressive graduation of each duct; that is, in the direction of gaseous ow each duct will be smaller than the one immediately preceding. In other cases, however, static pressure change may alter at such a moderate rate that the ducts may be dividedvinto groups Vfor graduationpurposes. In this modification of Imy invention then, the amount of graduation required by the change of static pressure withinv certain zone limits may be averaged, for example,

' and the so-derived average cross sectionalvarea entiations in duct size as the theoretical considerations wouldy impose.

In Figure 8 is shown a. special instance of such group-wise duct graduation.A In this exemplifi- 4 cation the sole-channel ducts of eachregenerator are divided into 4f'our groups designated by letters E, F, G and H respectively, from the gas or air introducing end toward'the combustion products discharging end. In this drawing it will be seen that the rst eleven ducts comprising the group E at the heating media inlet end are all of uniform cross section; in the following group F comprising another group of eleven ducts, the cross sectional area of each duct comprising the group is the same,'but of somewhat smaller area than the ducts comprising group E; in the last two groups G and H comprising 6 and 5 ductsy respecttively, the cross. section of the ductsy becomes group-wise smaller, but the ducts in any group remain ungraduated.

As an example, but without limiting myself to such illustrative instance, the proportional difference of area between the different groups may be as follows:

Group E comprising ducts 3% sq. in. inl area. Group F comprising ducts 3?; sq. in. in area. Group G comprising ducts 3 sq. in. in area. Group H comprising ducts 2H sq. in. in area.

. At points (X) on the drawings are shown breaks in the regularity of the duct disposal along the sole-channel, such hiatus in the disposal indicates points where regenerator cross walls may be incorporated in the structure if preferred, as an assistance toward maintaining the uniform distribution in the checkerbrick affected by the graduated sole-channel ducts.

In the` hereinabove described application of my invention, wherein reference` is made to its use in a coke oven battery, in alternate sets of regenerators the heating gases have been introduced into the sole-ues at opposite sides of thebattery.

My invention is, however, not limited to such arrangement.l When available space or other conditions permit or `make it desirable my improvement allows the heating mediato be introduced. into all the regenerators from one side of the battery'only, and the products of combustion to be withdrawn from the opposite side; one

,waste heat tunnel, therefore, on one side of the battery may serve the entire installation and one gas main on the opposite side willserve for sup-1 nected at their lower ends with regenerators having horizontally disposed sole-ues at their base extending parallel to the oven walls continuously from one end of tlie oven to the other, with regulable means for supplying gas and air to and closing the sole-nues thereto at their one end andy regulable means for establishing and severing communicable connection with a waste-heat tunnelat their other end, calibrated communicating openings between the sole-nues and the regenera tors graduated in such manner that the openings increase in cross-sectional area from the. wastevheat discharging end to the gas or air supplying end of the sole-ues. 2. In a reversible regenerative coking retort l oven having, means for gas firing thevsame and at least four regenerators disposed to operate in pairs alternately on either side of a iiow reversal` plane substantially paralleling the oven walls and adapted to operate in alternation'with each other to convey ai-r to and the waste products y of combustion from the heating ues, means for intr0ducingtheair alternately on either side o! the flow reversal plane at but one end of the oven and into sole-iles 'beneath the regenerators.

means for alternately on either side ofthe tlow v reversal plane withdrawing the products of comb`ustion from the sole-iiues at the opposite end of the oven, closable inlet means at one end of the respective sole-nues for-iniiow thereto from 1' the means for introducing and closable outlet means at the opposite ends of the respective soleues for outilow-thereirom to the means for withdrawing, the inlet means and outlet -means foreach sole-flue being operable in alternation with each other, the improvement characterized by the graduation of the communicating openings between the sole-iiues and the regenerators in` decreasing cross-sectional area from a point alliacent the inlet end of the sole-iiues toward the' opposite end, so'that the flow of gases in the solefiues on both sides of the reversal plane during both inflow and outow will be always toward lateral sole-ilue openings of decreasing crosssectional area.

3. In a battery comprising a series oi reversible regenerative coking ovens substantially as described in claim 2, and in which means for introducing the heating` media are disposed at the opposite endsoi contiguous ovens.

4. In` a reversible regenerative cokingretort oven of the combination type having, means vfor gas ring the same and at leasti'our regenerators disposed to operate in pairs alternately on either.l

means for alternately :on either side oi' the now -reversal plane withdrawing the products of combustion from the sole-nues at the opposite end oi' the oven from which the heating media is adapted-to be introduced, means for alternately opening one end oi-the respective sole-nues' to the means for introducing while closing the oppositeve'ndof the same to the, means i'or withdrawing and for closing said one end ot the respectivesole-nues to the means for introducing 'while opening the opposite end of the sa'me to themeans for withdrawing, the improvement characterized by the communicating openings be- ,tween the sole-iluesA and the regenerators being graduated in decreasing cross-sectional area from a point adjacent thej inlet end oi the sole-nues f toward the combustion products outlet end, so

sectionalarea that the ow ot gases inthe sole-nues on both sides of the reversal plane will be always toward lateral sole-flue openings 'oi' decreasing crossli. In `a cross regenerative coking retort oven battery of the combination type having means for gas ilrlng thesame and comprising, incombinalion, a plurality oi ovens each served by at least four regenerators disposed to operate in pairs alternately on eitherside of a flow reversal plane sultantially paralleling the oven ywalls and the pairs oi' regenerators adapted to convey the heating media to and products of combustion from the heating ilues in alternation with'each other, the regenerators for the inilow ot heating gas to the walls otany oven being laterally adjacent and separated from the regenerators for the outflow oi the products of combustion by a regenerator for in-owihg air, means-for introducing the heating media to the respective pairs of lregenerators alternately on either side o! the flow reversal plane at but one end ot the oven and into soleilues beneath the regenerators, means for alternately on either side of the ow reversal plane vwithdrawing the products of combustion from the sole-fines of the respective pairs of regenerators at the opposite' end of the oven, means for alternately opening one end of the respective soleilues to the meansior introducing while closing the opposite end of the same to the means for *withdrawing and for closing 'said one end of the respective sole-nues to the means for introducing while opening the opposite end oi the same to the means for withdrawing, the improvement characterized by graduated communicating openings between the sole-ilues and 'the regenerators decreasing in cross-sectional .area from a point adjacent the inlet end of the sole-nues toward I the combustion products outlet end, so that the flow of gases in the sole-lines on both sides oi the reversal plane will be always toward lateral sole-iiue openings of decreasing cross-sectional 6. In a battery comprising a series of reversible 'regenerative coking ,ovens substantially as described in claim'2, means 'for introducing oi the fuel gas at both sides of the battery and means for introducing air into the regenerator sole-due channels at but one side of th`e. battery and means for withdrawing their products ot 'combustion from the side opposite the air introducing side.

7. In a battery comprising a series o'i reveraible regenerative coking ovens substantially as described in claim 2, means for introducing o! 'the heating media to all ovens at but one side of the battery and means i'or withdrawing their products o t combustion from the opposite side. 8. In a cross regenerative coking retort oven battery of the combination type as described in claim 5, means for introducing oi' the heating mediato all ovens at but one side of the battery and means for withdrawing their products of combustion from the opposite side'.

9. In a cross regenerative coking retort oven battery of the combination type as described in claim 5, means for introducing ofthe heatingI media at the opposite ends of contiguous ovens.

l0. In a cross regenerative coldng retort oven battery of the combination'type having means for gas ring the same and comprising, in combination, a plurality of ovenseach served by at least four regenerators disposed to operate in pairs alternately on either side of al iiow reversal plane substantially paralleling the oven wallsahd the pairs adapted'to convey the heating mediato and the products o! combustion from the heating nues in alternation with each other, the regenerators for the inow otheating gas to the walls of any oven being laterally adjacent and separated from the regenerators for the out-iiow of the products of combustion by a regenerator.

for in-ilowing air, means for introducing the heating media to the respective pairs alternately on either side ot the flow reversal plane and at but one end ofthe oven and into 'sole-nues beneath the regenerators, means for withdrawing vthe products of combustioni'rom the soie-dues of the respective pairs oi regenerators of a'group alternately on either side oi' the ilow reversal planeet the opposite'end o( the oven. means u 'l for alternately opening one end of the respective sole-fines to the means for introducing while closing the opposite end of the same to the means for withdrawing and for closing said one end of the respective sole-ilues to the means for introducing while opening the opposite end of the same to themeans for withdrawing, the improvement characterized by the arrangement of the communicating openings between the soleiiues `and the regenerators into groups of orifices, all orices withinla group having substantially the same cross-section, but the orifices of each succeeding group decreasing in cross-section from a point adjacent the inlet end of the sole-i-lues toward the combustion products outlet end, so that the flow of gases in the sole-ilues on both .sides of the reversal plane will be always toward lateral sole-iiue groups of orifices of decreasing cross-section.

11. In a reversible regenerative coking retort oven having, means for gas'iiring the same and two sets of regenerators disposed for operation withtheir flow reversal planes substantially paralleling the oven walls and adapted to operate in alternation with each other to convey combustion media to and the waste products of combustion from the heating flues, means for introduck ing the combustion media alternately on either side of the flow reversal planes at but one end of the oven and into sole-lines beneath theregenerators, means for alternately on either side ofthe ow reversal plane withdrawing the products of combustion fromthe sole-ues at the opand the regenerators in decreasing cross-sectional area from a point adjacent the inlet end of the .12. In a reversible regenerative `coking retort' oven having, vertical combustion ilues in the oven walls with each of the flues in each of the heating walls communicably connected at their upper parts with vertical ues in another of the heating walls at their upper parts for flow ofvwaste gas to and from each other ilfalternation by cross over ducts crossing over intervening coking chambers, means for gas ringthe same and two sets of regenerators disposed for operation with their flow reversal planes substantially paralleling the oven walls and adapted to operate in alternation with each other to convey -combustion media to and the waste products of combustion from the heating ues, means for introducing the combustion media alternately on eitherside of the ow reversal plane at but one end -oi? and into sole-ilues beneath the regeneratlorsmeans for alternately on either side of the ow reversal plane withdrawing the products of combustion from the sole-ilues at but the opposite end of the sole-nues, closable inlet means at one end of the respective sole-flues for inow thereto from the means for introducing and closable outlet means at the opposite ends of the respective s ole-ues for outow therefrom to the means for withdrawing, the ,inlet means and outlet means ior each sole-ue being operable in alternation with each other, the improvement characterized by the graduation of the communicating openings between the sole-fines and the regenerators in decreasing cross-sectional area from a point adjacent the inlet endA of the sole-ilues toward the opposite end, so that the iow of gases in the sole-nues on both sides of the reversal plane during both inow and outflow will be always toward lateral sole-nue openings of decreasing` cross-sectional area` JOSEPH vm ACKEREN. 

